Today, much of that original vision has been realized, and the opening of Belo Garden, Kylde Warren Park and Main Street Garden has changed both the face and function of downtown.

Now, the city is getting its first look at an updated version of the plan that envisions expanded park space throughout downtown, from the Farmers Market on the east to the West End and at points in between.

"We've obviously made a lot of progress with our downtown parks system since the original masterplan was adopted," said Willis Winters, director of the city's Park and Recreation department.

But more work needs to be done to make downtown an inviting, attractive and vibrant place for workers and residents, he said.

The updated plan, funded by Robert W. and Maureen H. Decherd and the Decherd family foundation, would see the amount of park space in the central city nearly double to some 87 acres, including all existing private and public green space.

Robert Decherd is the chairman, chief executive and president of A.H. Belo Corporation, the parent company of The Dallas Morning News.

The updated plan by Hargreaves Associates is expected to get approval from the city's Park Board this morning.

Decherd urged the park board to see the plan through to the benefit of the whole city.

"This is an aspirational plan, and I encourage you to stay on that edge," he said.

It calls for at least a four important new parks downtown.

The proposed parks include Pacific Plaza (called for in the 2004 plan), Carpenter Plaza along Central into Deep Ellum, Harwood Park near the Farmers Market and the West End Plaza. The city also foresees a park along Young Street in front of the Omni Convention Center Hotel, and perhaps a series of other smaller green spaces and links throughout the central business district.

The city has already made significant progress on realizing parts of the plan. It owns the sites for Pacific Plaza and Carpenter Plaza and is acquiring the site for West End Plaza.

But there is not yet funding for the purchase of land for Harwood Park, near the Farmers Market. Nor is there development money for any of the other parks.

Winters estimated the full cost of implementing the plan at $80 million to $100 million.

The 2012 bond plan did not include funds for realizing the plan.

But Winters said the city is already seeing the benefit of the new downtown parks, not only as a attractive spaces but as a key element of downtown's long-term health.

Expanding that will be necessary as downtown grows and as more residents and businesses return to the central city, he said.

"We've got to provide downtown parks and green space to serve that," Winters told the board this morning. "It's not just downtown, it's a true neighborhood.